“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Don’t you want to know what happened to your brother? Don’t you want to at least try?”
She ran her hands over her legs as she shifted, looking out the window again. Maybe that’s what she did when she needed to think.
“Of course I want to know, but is it worth it at this point? My parents went back to Boston because my mom couldn’t handle being down here with all the reminders of Luke. It’s been hell.”
Story of my life. If Hailey had given up, fine. But I needed her to tell me everything she knew about that last day, and then I could go and investigate by myself.
Hailey’s phone went off, the music like doom and gloom was calling.Duh, duh, duh, duhhhhhh.Judging by Hailey’s expression, she knew exactly who was calling.
Hailey pulled out her phone. A display of emotions crossed her face like she was going through stages of grief. I wondered who in her world had the power cause that kind of reaction.
“Give me a sec,” she said, jumping up and accepting the call.
Hailey’s voice lowered to a murmur as she walked toward the kitchen, while I went the opposite way to the closed French doors that apparently led to a gated backyard patio. I walked to the doors, peering through one of the small square panels. I got up close, nose nearly touching the cool glass. Behind me, I heard snatches of Hailey’s conversation. From the sound of it, it wasn’t going well.
I traced my finger over the smooth surface, wondering how much I could trust Hailey. I was in her house, pretty much at hermercy if she got the drop on me. But I was hoping there were holes she’d be able to fill. Maybe if this was really all some intricate plan to run away devised by Naira and Luke, Hailey would clue me in since I was obviously the last to know. I’d come here ready to figure things out. But I hadn’t thought about how alone I’d feel, how othered I’d be in this city where no one was like me.
I pulled back from the surface. There was something on the other side of the door. Something out there in the dark, hiding in the shadows, watching me. The light behind me made it hard to make out anything concrete. My hand hovered over the door handle.
From the other room, Hailey said: “Yeah, it was a surprise to me too.” A long pause followed. “No. Give me a little time. Let me do it my way.” Another pause. “It’s not like that.” Hailey’s voice was strained.
Pitch-black was on the other side of those doors, darker than it should be in a neighborhood with plenty of lights. Not even one firefly pierced the dark. If someone was trying to scare me—
She is gathering.
—I wouldn’t make things so easy for them. I moved away from the doors, from my thoughts, distracting myself with the conversation Hailey was having in the other room. Whoever was on the other line made Hailey shrink into herself until she was a ball. Tiny sounds came from her and I realized she was crying. Seeing her like this made my wall against her crack a little, letting compassion seep through.
When Hailey and I first met at my graduation, when I touched her ice-cold hand and sensed nothing from her, it threw me off. Mademe think she was some weird entity. But now whatever barriers she had up were gone, making way for her sudden surge of emotions.
No matter how much contempt I had for her being a mainlander, being unreadable, or for her brother getting my friend in this horrible mess, I realized that in this regard, Hailey was no different from me. Her loss was like mine. She let me in her house when she didn’t have to, and despite my conclusions about her brother and if he had something to do with all of this mess, Hailey was the best shot I had. Now if only I could convince her that I was hers too.
“Sounded like a bad call in there,” I said when she reentered the room and sat back down.
She sniffed, looking like a strong gust of wind would blow her over. “My family has strong opinions on how I should be dealing with Luke and all this.” She searched for the words. “And I, um, was trying to explain how I needed to go through my own… process.”
Nodding, I said, “I know the feeling. To really believe the truth is out there.”
Hailey’s head tilted. “Which of us is Mulder and which is Scully?”
Silence.
“X-Files?You’ve never seen it?”
I shook my head.
She tutted. “Poor, depraved soul.”
I prepared myself for my pitch, hoping this time around I’d get her approval. She had every reason to say no. The recent call was clear evidence. “Look, Hailey, I don’t know your situation, but I would do anything to figure out what happened to Naira, and Ithink you’d do the same for your brother. Do you really believe Luke is dead?”
“Why wouldn’t I?” she cut in sharply. “Believe he’s dead?”
I was shocked. “That easily? You don’t hold out any hope that maybe they could have made it?”
She snorted, whispering, “Hope.” She shook her head at me.
Again, she looked out of her French doors. I followed her gaze. Again, I saw nothing. “I think if we trace some of their steps, go where they went and ask around, something might come up.” I shrugged. “And even if nothing shakes out, we can move on knowing we tried the best we could, you know?”
